The son and daughter of Superintendent Manuel Paul are employed by the San Ysidro School District. So is the son of Assistant Superintendent Gloria Madera. School board member Jean Romero has a son and grandson working at the district.

The officials say the relationships are not a problem. The nepotism policy bans officials from supervision of close relatives — but officials say it’s OK if there are other supervisors as a buffer in the chain of command.

“I am not the supervisor of anyone but the superintendent,” Romero said. “I do not evaluate or have anything to do with the evaluations.”

Paul, the superintendent, said he does not directly supervise relatives, which include his school psychologist son, instructional aide daughter and his wife’s cousin, a longtime music teacher at San Ysidro Middle School.

“The superintendent is responsible for the operation of the entire district,” Paul said. “But the superintendent is not the direct supervisor or person whom evaluated every and all employees.”

The relationships have become a sore point with the teacher’s union, especially after a key school board meeting in July. At that meeting:

• Romero’s son, Jason Romero, was appointed assistant superintendent of human resources, a job that had not been posted for applications. His predecessor, Jennifer Brown, was relieved of duty and was paid a one-year salary of $135,000 as severance. Jason Romero was hired at the same salary.

• The superintendent’s son, Manuel Paul Jr., was hired as a school psychologist.

• The superintendent received a $7,320 raise to $172,960, and assistant superintendents Dena Whittington and Gloria Madera received $10,000 raises, to $145,000 a year.

The hires and salary boosts came amid cuts to class material budgets, as well as requests for class size increases and furlough days, prompting frustration among many teachers, according Carol Wallace, president of the teacher’s union.